Isolation, characterization, and mapping of two mouse mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel isoforms

Voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs) are small pore-forming channels found in the mitochondrial outer membrane of all eukaryotes. VDACs conduct adenine nucleotides and are the binding sites for several cytosolic enzymes, including the isoforms of hexokinase and glycerol kinase. VDAC binding is developmentally and metabolically regulated and allows the kinases preferential access to mitochondrial ATP. Two human VDAC cDNAs have recently been identified, and a total of four VDAC loci have been mapped. Here, the isolation of two mouse VDAC cDNAs (VDAC5 and VDAC6) is described. By Northern analysis the two mouse VDAC isoforms show nearly identical expression patterns, with high levels of expression detected in heart, kidney, brain, and skeletal muscle and lesser levels of expression in all other tissues examined. The only exception is the lack of expression of VDAC5 in testes, whereas VDAC6 expression is highest in this tissue. VDAC6 appears to be encoded by more than one transcript. The mouse VDAC5 gene was mapped using an interspecies DNA mapping panel to the proximal region of chromosome 11, and the mouse VDAC6 gene was mapped using a panel to the proximal region of chromosome 14.